Cryptic crossword clue
Most clever ancients adapted 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word CANNIEST

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
C
A
N
N
I
E
S
T

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Most clever" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case most clever = canniest.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does CANNIEST mean?

CANNIEST adjective
  1. Careful, prudent, cautious.
  2. Knowing, shrewd, astute.
  3. Frugal, thrifty.
  4. Pleasant, fair, favorable or agreeable to deal with.
  5. Gentle, quiet, steady.

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